Jair Bolsonaro Arrested Following Ankle Bracelet Incident
Over the weekend, Brazil’s Supreme Federal Tribunal Judge Alexandre de Moraes issued an arrest warrant for former President Jair Bolsonaro. This follows an incident involving Bolsonaro’s electronic ankle bracelet.
Reports from his medical team indicate that Bolsonaro experienced hallucinations and confusion due to medication, which led him to use a soldering iron on his monitoring device.
In a reaction to perceived persecution of Bolsonaro and other conservatives, the United States authorized a police operation to arrest Bolsonaro at his home in Brasilia under the Global Magnitsky Act. Following a previous judge’s order in August for stringent house arrest, De Moraes cited “elements indicating a concrete flight risk and threat to security.” This occurred just days before the Supreme Court was set to impose a 27-year prison sentence on Bolsonaro for “Crimes Against Democracy.”
Reportedly, De Moraes instructed the police to carry out the arrest “without handcuffs and without any exposure to the media.” As of now, Bolsonaro remains in custody at the Federal Police Regional Inspectorate in Brasilia.
Brazil’s Integrated Electronic Monitoring Center (Cime) alerted the STF around midnight local time on Saturday about a breach of Bolsonaro’s electronic bracelet. Authorities visited his home and found scorch marks on the device, indicating attempts to tamper with it.
According to Cime’s report, Bolsonaro admitted to using a soldering iron to try to open the bracelet, claiming there was no damage, but the device needed replacement.
Rita de Cassia, a deputy regional director of Brazil’s prison administration, stated that she spoke with Bolsonaro post-arrest. A video shared with media captured Bolsonaro explaining his actions with a soldering iron, saying, “I put a hot iron in there, just out of curiosity.”
Bolsonaro, reportedly suffering from a “kind of paranoia” after taking two prescribed medications, claimed to police that he experienced hallucinations. His medical team indicated that misunderstanding about prescriptions could have contributed to his condition, stressing significant side effects including confusion and hallucinations.
A document from his medical team noted that the medications interacted with others he routinely took, which can result in various cognitive disturbances.
An edited prescription for Pregabalin, reportedly given to Bolsonaro on November 17, instructed him to take it after breakfast.
This arrest occurred just hours after his son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, was also detained. A video call to arms by Flavio encouraged supporters to gather for a vigil at the presidential palace in Brasilia.
Bolsonaro, now 70, faces several health issues stemming from a 2018 assassination attempt as well as chronic illnesses like high blood pressure and recently diagnosed skin cancer. His legal team has requested that he be permitted to serve any sentence under house arrest due to these health concerns.
Meanwhile, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, attending the G20 summit in Johannesburg, addressed Bolsonaro’s situation, contending that “everyone knows” what he did, while acknowledging the right to a presumption of innocence.
On Monday, a group from the STF, led by De Moraes, ruled to maintain Bolsonaro’s preventive detention, asserting that he had knowingly violated the terms of his electronic monitoring, labeling him a “repeat offender.”
